Raddant Wins Sluggfest With Naeyaert

By Scott Owen

Shawano,WI,8/15/20—Kyle Raddant outdueled Tom Naeyaert in an exciting, down to the wire race for his first Late Model win of the year. Brad Wedde prevailed in a three car Mighty Four battle. While it almost felt like déjà vu all over again as three drivers (Konnor Wilkinski, Chucky Forstner, Jayden Schmidt) returned to victory lane for the second week in a row.  

Flyin Kyle Raddant started on the pole of the Late Model feature, took the lead at the drop of the green, and immediately began to receive pressure from Tom Naeyaert and Brett Swedburg.  The trio in fact would battle three-wide for the lead.  Raddant had his car on the high side of the track the entire race.  Swedberg would soon fade as Justin Ritchie moved to third.  By lap 8 it was a two-car battle for the lead as Raddant and Naeyaert raced side by side lap after lap.  Naeyaert was able to pull ahead of Raddant numerous times upon corner entry, but Raddant used the high side momentum to pull back ahead of Naeyaert.  Nick Anvelink would race his way past Ritchie for third on lap 13 and set his sights on the leaders.  Raddant and Naeyaert continued to duke it out.  As the white flag waived Anvelink caught the leaders to make it a three-car battle.  Raddant would run the last lap just as he had the previous 19, right up by the wall, and would hold on for his first win of the season.  Naeyaert would have to settle for second, Anvelink third, Ritchie fourth, and Swedberg fifth.   

Lap one of the IMCA Modified feature saw Kevin Feck go from third to first to lead the field.  As Feck led, Konnor Wilinski began to work through traffic after starting in tenth-place.  A caution after lap 6 would bunch the field up.  Wilinski would capitalize as he would go from his third-place restart position to the inside of Feck to snag the lead.  Wilinski would not look back as he drove to his second win of the year.  Feck finished in second.  Marcus Yarie raced all the way from eighteenth to finish third.  Matt Oreskovich and Jordan Bartz rounded out the top five.

Jeremie Hedrick would lead the early stages of the IMCA Stock Car feature while being pressured by Gary Kasperek and Chucky Forstner.  The trio went three-wide four the lead on lap four of the race.  Hedrick still held the lead until lap six when Forstner would utilize the inside groove of the track to make the pass for the lead.  Kasperek slipped past Hedrick to move to second.  Kasperek would continue to chase Forstner, but it would not be enough.  Forstner went on to score his second win of the year.  Kasperek, Mike Schmidt, Travis VanStraten, and Dan Michonski completed the top five.  

In IMCA Sport Mod action, Max Oreskovich led until lap 4 when tenth place starting Jayden Schmidt grabbed the lead.  Schmidt would quickly set sail and leave the rest of the field behind. Tyler Sobiesczyk would race his way to second on lap 12.  Schmidt was just too much though as he won his fifth feature.  Sobiesczyk, Bryce Clements, Oreskovich, and Zackery Raab completed the top five.

Brad Wedde held off Calvin Stueck and Lucas Hacker to go wire to wire for his second win of the year.  Stueck, Hacker, Clint Malueg, and Scott Blanke rounded out the top five.

Racing will continue next Saturday night as Corny Schmidt and Gary Springborn will be honored as the newest members of the Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame.  Racing starts at 6:00.  More information can be found online at shawanospeedway.net.

Race Summary:

Late Model Feature:       1. Kyle Raddant, Shawano; 2. Tom Naeyaert, Shawano; 3. Nick Anvelink, Navarino; 4. Justin Ritchie, New London; 5. Brett Swedberg, Shawano; 6.      Ron Berna, Abrams; 7. Mitch McGrath, Waukesha; 8. Troy Springborn, Shawano; 9. Joel Bennett, Hortonville; 10. Derek Janke       New London.

Heat 1: 1. Swedberg; 2. Bennett; 3. Springborn.

Heat 2: 1. Naeyaert; 2. Raddant; 3. Anvelink.

IMCA Modified Feature: 1. Konnor Wilinski, Seymour; 2. Kevin Feck, Wausau; 3. Marcus Yarie, Wausau; 4. Matt Oreskovich, Clintonville; 5. Jordan Bartz,     Shawano; 6. Jason Czarapata, Pulaski; 7. Lucas Lamberies, Clintonville; 8. Tyler Wilson, Krakow; 9. Kevin Bethke, Neenah; 10. Eddie Muenster, Green Bay.

Heat 1: 1. Jerry Muenster, Green Bay; 2. Jesse Peebles, Shawano; 3. Jerry Wilinski, Seymour.

Heat 2: 1. Bethke; 2. Konnor Wilinski; 3. Czarapata.

Heat 3: 1. Feck; 2. Oreskovich; 3. Block

IMCA Stock Car Feature: 1. Chucky Forstner, Shiocton; 2. Gary Kasperek,              Tigerton; 3. Mike Schmidt, Shawano; 4. Travis VanStraten, Hortonville; 5. Dan Michonski, Leopolis; 6. Trent Nolan, Shawano; 7. Bert Moede Jr, Bowler; 8. Jeremie Hedrick, Embarrass; 9. Tom Riehl, Hortonville; 10. Asa Doxtator, Bowler.

Heat 1: 1. Doxtator; 2. Forstner; 3. Nolan.

Heat 2: 1. Hedrick, 2. Jeremy Christians, Horicon; 3. Kasperek.

IMCA Sport Mod Feature: 1. Jayden Schmidt, Seymour; 2. Tyler Sobiesczyk, Shawano; 3. Bryce Clements, Suring; 4. Max Oreskovich, Clintonville; 5. Zackery Raab,    Antigo; 6. Matthew Radtke, Marion; 7. Jeffery Teske, Shawano; 8. Andy Klosterman, Cecil; 9. Andrew Engels, Green Bay; 10. Anthony Kotula, Shawano.

Heat 1: 1. Klosterman; 2. Teagan Wudstrack, Caroline; 3. Teske.

Heat 2: 1. Schmidt; 2. Raab; 3. Radtke.

Mighty Four Feature: 1. Brad Wedde, Shawano; 2. Calvin Stueck,              Clintonville; 3. Lucas Hacker, Shawano; 4. Clint Malueg,  Bonduel; 5. Scott Blanke, Shawano; 6. Justin Haufe, Marion; 7. Jody Cornelius, Onieda; 8. Kaitlyn Gardner, Tigerton; 9. Alexis Michonski, Embarrass; 10. Tanner Westphal, Tigerton.

Heat 1: 1. Stueck; 2. Wedde; 3. Hacker.

Heat 2: 1. Westphal; 2. Malueg; 3. Cornelius.